NAPIER TO AUCKLAND IN 61 HOURS.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 3209, 19 January 1893, Page 2

NAPIER TO AUCKLAND IN 61 HOURS.

Iff our last issue wo mentioned that Lord Hurford was to ride through from Oxford to Auckland on Tuesday last for a wager. This was only a portion of a ride by the Earl, who had backed himself to ride from Napier to Auckland, some 300 miles in 6G hours, and leaving Napier at 0 o'clock on Sunday morning, ho had to arrive in Auckland before midnight on Tuesday. This the rider succeded in accomplishing, arriving in Auckland shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday, or a little over five hours under the specified time, Tho distance from Napior to Tuupo about 110 miles was covered by the Earl in 11 hours, including stoppages, seven horses boing used en route. On Monday Oxford was reached at 2,30 p.m., threo horses being used, and on Tuesday morning Lord Biirford left Oxford at a quarter to six to complete tho journey. He arrived at Cambridge, using two horses at half-past seven, coming to the National Hotel. Hero some little delay was occasioned owing to telegrams to Mr W. K. Carter to have horses along the road to Auckland having miscarried. Mr Bach undertook to see His Lordship through, and at once left for Hamilton, where he arranged for a fresh horse with Mr Sutton. He procured three other horses from Mr Sutton, and taking them on by train dropped them at stations en route, where he was unable to procure relays, Lord Burford arrived in Hamilton shortly after 10 a.m., and proceeding on, thanks to the excellent arrangements of Mr Bach, arrived in Auckland as above stated, shortly before 7 o'clock, in time to dine at the Northern Club, In all 21 horses were used, the longest journey dona by one horse being from Taupo to Atiamuri, a distance of 28 miles.